A Spotted Bordeaux

Hello dolls!

I hope you all are enjoying a fantabulous weekend!  I was so excited that it finally got cool enough to feel like Fall last weekend and today... we're back to 90 degree weather.  I'm so mad!!  but, I'm not going to let the weather keep me down.  For today's mani I have a simple nail art look inspired by my new favorite color for this season, wine/burgundy...

 Colors Used: Revlon Parfumerie - Bordeaux, Julep - Felicity

I know that nude is the it color for Fall for 2014, but forget that noise.  I need color!!  So I decided I need to pick my own color for the season and this is what I went with ;)

 I started with 2 coats of Bordeaux which, when dry, smells of deep berry yumminess.  I then topped it with Mentality's Matte top Coat.  Once it dried, I took a dotting tool and applied Felicity and that's it!

Fall has arrived, even if California refuses to accept it!!  :P

If I get more time to myself, I will put together a SAFS post., otherwise I will be back next week with some more nail art...

Until next time!

Stef <3

KBShimmer Fall 2014

*Disclosure

Hello lovelies!

I know it's not Sunday, but I just couldn't wait to show you these KBShimmer's :)  These polishes are from the new Fall 2014 collection and they are amazing!!

 KBShimmer - Fall 2014

 I have a serious love for KBShimmer; their formula is always amazing and the colors are on point.  I feel that the brand is often setting trends and doing it well with a high quality (and affordable) product.

KBShimmer - Rust No One

Rust No One is a gorgeous linear holographic polish.  While my camera picked up a lot of red in this swatch, this is more of a rusty red-orange color in person.  I just have no words for this awesomeness!  The formula is just what you want from a holo; not too goopy, not too runny... just right.  Shown is 2 coats with top coat.

 KBShimmer - Flannel Surfing

Flannel Surfing is a faded blue crelly with a mix of orange, aqua and teal glitters. I've seen quite a few swatches of this polish that have had me swooning.  It's such a flattering shade of blue that's lovely on every skin-type I've seen thus far.  Shown is 2 coats with top coat.

 KBShimmer - How You Dune?

How You Dune is a greige creme polish.  What is greige?  Only one of my favorite colors ever!  It's a grey/beige shade that I just love love love and this creme is especially creamy :)  The formula is perfect; when I opened the bottle I did a little happy dance in my chair haha.  Shown is 1 coat with no top coat (gah!).

 KBShimmer - Spot Sign

Spot Sign is a mix of black leopard spot shaped glitters, black dots, small black hexes and micro holographic sparkle.  This polish is actually apart of the Winter 2014 collection, but was released a little early due to all of the excitement behind this new glitter.  It's pretty much the coolest glitter topper that's come out in a long time.  I lurvs it :)  You would think the application on this would be a bear, but it really wasn't at all.  An average of 2-3 leopard spots came out on the brush with each dip.  I dabbed and brush; very little "glitter placement" was needed for me.  Shown is 2 dabbed coat over How You Dune? with top coat.

KBShimmer polishes retail at $7.50 for creme polishes and $8.75 for crelly/glitter/holo/etc. polishes.  You can purchase KBShimmer polishes HERE.

So what do we think?  I hope to have some selections from KBShimmer's Winter 2014 collection up this Sunday, so stay tuned...

Until next time!

Stef <3

* This product was provided to me for review.  I received no payment or other compensation for the review of this product.  The opinions stated here are completely my own.  The contents of this review are based on my direct experience with this product.

Autumn's In Full Swing!

Hello dolls!

While the weather in Southern California refuses to accept that it's now Fall, I won't let it keep me down!!  Haha my home is decorated, my candles are burning and I already have my favorite soup recipes lined up and ready to go.  I also have a new favorite polish that sums up this season for me...

 Colors Used: Noodles Nail Polish - Pumpkin Spice And Everything Nice, American Apparel - Manila, Acrylic Paints

I am so in love with this crelly!  A mix of peach, caramel, bronze, and orange hexes in a nude crelly base... this polish just screams warm-fuzzy-goodness!  It applied easily with an even disbursement of glitters.  2 coats is all that's needed to achieve opaqueness.

On my ring finger, I free-handed  a tree branch with some acrylic paints and a thin striping brush.

Come on weather, get it together!  (Ha! That rhymes...)

Natalie (owner of Noodles Nail Polish) put the sweetest note in the package along with my polish which really made my day.  It's the little things like that which keep me buying from indies.  I will definitely be continued customer of this brand :)

Anywhosy, stay tuned for a challenge post later this afternoon :)

Until next time!

Stef <3

* This product was purchased by me for review.  I received no payment or other compensation for the review of this product.  The opinions stated here are completely my own.  The contents of this review are based on my direct experience with this product.

Water Color Striping

Hello lovelies!

For today's mani, I decied to try some watercolor striping in Fall-ish colors :)

 Colors Used: Daisy Nail Lacquer - White Diamond, Julep - Donna, Nic, Felicia and Parker

While this mani didn't turn out the way I necessarily wanted, I do kind of like the way it turned out (kind of)...

 I started with a white base.  Once that dried, I thinned out a dollop of polish with acetone and used a striping brush to apply my stripes.  Layering, thinning, overlapping... over and over and over again.  Haha that pretty much sums this one up ;)

Meh... still on the "kind of" fence...

Super short post, I know.  But simple is ok sometimes right?

Until next time!

Stef <3

SAFS: She Nail Polish Fall Collection

Hello dolls!

I hope you all have enjoyed your weekend!  Today I have another edition of "Sunday's Are For Swatching" for you :D  This Sunday I have the Fall Collection from a newer indie, She Nail Polish (*disclaimer)...

I'm so excited to share these polishes with you, so let's get started!

 Unbothered

This stormy grey creme stole my heart!  I just think it's so beautiful; the perfect grey that every girl needs in her collection.  I love how reminiscent it is of cool Fall days.  Very "sweater weather"-esque.  This applied in 2 easy coats with top coat.

 Oh, Tiff!

You can't do wrong with a Tiffany's blue!  This is another beautiful creme polish in this collection.  I think this color complimented me best of all the polishes.  It's just a bright and happy polish :)  Although slightly streaky, this applied to full opaqueness in 3 thin coats with top coat.

 Chances

Oh, I am a sucker for yellow polish!  This yellow creme has so opalescent flakies goin' on that I really loved (you can see is best if you click on the bottle shot).  The trouble with yellows is they love to be streaky!  I used 3 thin coats for full opaqueness with very little trouble.  Top coat helped to smoth everything out.

 Cocoa Creme

Now, I'm not usually a fan of browns but this creme is a stunner!  It is just pure chocolate goodness!!  I seriously wanted to eat my fingers just looking at it haha.  2 easy coats and top coat shown :)

Before Midnight

This polish.  Oh. This. Polish!  This one is magic!!  One coat wonder and all.  The color is gorgeous and it applied like butter.  I almost didn't top coat it because it dried super shiny on it's own, but I wanted to be consistent.  This is a new favorite in my collection :D

 Dirty Red

A classic red that is ever so ruddy, I love love love this one!  I have seen a few swatches of this polish and I really do think it's a perfect red; it just looks classically beautiful on everyone.  This applied in 2 easy coats with top coat :)

She Nail Polish can be purchased online and retail at $6.00 per bottle (a steal for a quality indie!).

I really hope you enjoyed this post :)  My goal with the Sunday swatch segment is to share polishes that I am excited about and think are worth the money you're paying.  It's kind of like being a guinea pig lol.

Until next time!

Stef <3

* This product was provided to me for review.  I received no payment or other compensation for the review of this product.  The opinions stated here are completely my own.  The contents of this review are based on my direct experience with this product.

OCC Black Dahlia Frenchie

Hello dolls!

I've been drawing a blank the last few days with nail art.  Feeling a little uninspired and a-lotta-lazy lol.  So I opted to do a simple french manicure (frenchies always make me happy haha).  I figured I'd get into the Fall mood with a rich shade...

 Colors Used: OCC - Black Dahlia

This chocolate-cherry polish came in a set with a Lip Tar of the same shade.  I got it on sale at Sephora (online sale only).  I didn't even know OCC made anything but Lip Tar's, so naturally I had to snag a polish.  It does not disappoint!  It's opaque in 2 thin coats (swatch to come later) and was perfect for this frenchie.

 If you follow me on social media (links are in the side-bar), you might have seen a picture that I posted of the french brush I use for clean-up.  I used this same brush to get a clean smile line on my french tips.  The rounded bristles are perfect for the job :)  You can find more details about this brush in my IG post.

Sometimes a girl just needs a simple frenchie!

Happy Tuesday loves :)

Until next time!

Stef <3

I'm Ready for Fall!

Hello lovelies!

I have a quick post for you this evening :)  I made the mistake of going in to Bath & Body Works today and they have all of there new Fall products on display... *sigh*... it was glorious.  So now I am desperately longing for the seasons to change.  I want cool air, changing leaves... I want to wear some boots! 

A big theme with their decor items is squirrels.  I don't know why, but squirrels.  I decided to do some cute acorns (inspired by Lacq Lustre)...

 Colors Used: Love & Beauty - Beige, Acrylic Paints, Mentality - Matte Top Coat

I'm still practicing with acrylic paints and while these didn't turn out as flawlessly as I would have liked, I do think they're pretty cute :P

 I started with my beige base and let it dry (I actually went to work and then when I got home, I continued my nail art-ing haha.  Anybody else ever do that?).  I then used a nail art brush and acrylic paints to paint the acorns.  Lastly, I applied a generous matte top coat (Mentality Polish Matte Topper which is my fave!)...

It's growing on me haha...

I hope you all have had a wonderful week!  I now must dash off...

Until next time!

Stef <3

Forrest at Twilight

Hello dolls!

So, I was sitting around yesterday trying to find some nailspiration and nothing was coming to mind.  I looked outside my window and the clouds were an array of purples, pinks and oranges.  I decided I would do a twilight gradient...

 Colors Used: Revlon Parfumerie - Wild Violets, Love & Beauty - Purple, China Glaze - Peonies & Park Ave, American Apparel - Manila, Black and White Acrylic Paint, Mentality - Matte Top Coat

This is one of those rare times where I'm wearing what I'm posting haha.  I can't stop staring at my hands!

I started with a white base of Sally Hansen White On, just one coat so that it would dry quickly.  I then layered my 4 polished on a make-up sponge and dabbed away.  After I cleaned up that whole mess, I painted some pine trees with black acrylic painy (my nerd of a husband said, "Oh! You painted confiers!").  I dotted the stars with some white acrylic paint.  I topped it all off with Mentality's Matte Top Coat and tada!

Makes me wanna go camping!

I think it's time for a nap, looking at these makes me sleepy.  It could also be the eucalyptus-mint candle that I've got burning haha...

Until next time!

Stef <3

A Distressed Thanksgiving Mani

Hiya dolls!

How's it going??  I know I've been gone for a little bit.  Work got busy and it's Thanksgiving week... you know how it is haha.  Well, I'm taking a amll break from cooking to share my holiday mani with you :)

 Colors Used: Julep - Otte, Brielle and Karmen, OPI - The "It" Color, Rimmel - Black Satin

I really love the way these turned out.  I've been loving the distressed look that Chalkboard Nails rocked back in September and when I saw that she'd posted a tutorial, I knew it would be perfect for my Thanksgiving!

My mother has retired as family chef for the holidays and has passed the job on to me lol.  I love to cook but it is a little stressful preparing a holiday meal so I thought distressed nails would be quite fitting ;)  I followed the tutorial, using camel colored Otte as my base.  It is a super quick and easy nail art look that I'm planning to do again in the future.

Yay turkey day!!

Alright, lovelies!  I'm off to go make some mashed potatoes haha.  Wishing you all a very, VERY happy Thanksgiving!

Until next time!

Stef <3